Goodreads Synopsis:

The gripping fifth installment in the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Shatter Me series. Will Juliette’s broken heart make her vulnerable to the strengthening darkness within her?

Juliette’s short tenure as the supreme commander of North America has been an utter disaster. When the children of the other world leaders show up on her doorstep, she wants nothing more than to turn to Warner for support and guidance. But he shatters her heart when he reveals that he’s been keeping secrets about her family and her identity from her—secrets that change everything.

Juliette is devastated, and the darkness that’s always dwelled within her threatens to consume her. An explosive encounter with unexpected visitors might be enough to push her over the edge.

Review:

This book definitely lived up to my expectations! It was fast paced, and I flew through it. It felt short because I read it so quickly.

I can’t say much about the plot without giving away spoilers for this book or the other ones. This one had more of a scientific theme, with time spent in laboratories with medical tests and operations being conducted. There were some horrifying science experiments being conducted, including one on a newly discovered character, Emmaline. That one was disturbing and difficult to read.

As I was reading this book, I kept thinking of the first book in the series, Shatter Me, and how much has changed since then. Juliette and Warner have grown so much throughout the series. There have also been lots of new characters introduced, including some new ones in this book. There were some parts of this book that echoed the first one, with some characters being kept in a prison/asylum, like how Juliette was imprisoned in Shatter Me.

Now that I’m caught up on the series, I’ll have to wait a long time for the next one.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fan favorite character Kenji Kishimoto narrates this gripping companion novella to Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, set during the explosive events in Restore Me!

Juliette is still reeling from Warner’s betrayal, and Kenji is trying to balance his friendship with her with his responsibilities as a leader of the resistance against the Reestablishment. Things get even more interesting when an unexpected person from Omega Point’s past surfaces.

The ending of Restore Me left readers gasping, and this novella full of Kenji’s signature sass and big heart is the perfect story to tide fans over until Defy Me, the shocking fifth book in the Shatter Me series, hits shelves in April 2019.

Review:

This novella was different from the other two in the Shatter Me series because it is told from Kenji’s perspective. The other two were narrated by Warner and Adam. Kenji is one of my favourite characters, so I was so excited to read some of his story.

Kenji is a fun character. He usually brings some comic relief to the serious story. He’s Juliette’s best friend, so he is in a very different position from Warner and Adam, who have both been her love interests. However, this story shows a different side to Kenji. He has had a tough life, being orphaned and living on the streets before being taken in by Castle. Though he has been through a lot, he is still there for Juliette when she needs him.

These novellas are a great addition to the series. They usually show the same scenes that were in the main novel, but from a different point of view. This gives us a full image of what is happening in the story.

The next novella is also from Kenji’s perspective, so I can’t wait to read it!

Goodreads Synopsis:

Juliette Ferrars thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she’s still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she’s got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?

Review:

This was an amazing story in the Shatter Me series! The first three books can be read as a trilogy. This continuation of the series is even better than the first three books.

Even though so much happens in the first three books, there is still an entire world to discover in this one. The first trilogy was centred around Juliette in Sector 45. This story explores the leaders of the other continents. There was so much information that Juliette didn’t know, and that we learn along with her.

This story was different from the other ones because the chapters alternate between Juliette’s and Warner’s points of view. There are betrayals and lots of new discoveries to be made, so it was important that the two different perspectives be shown in this story. It’s also great to see Warner’s narrative again. He was the narrator in the novella Destroy Me. He’s a complicated character and I love reading his scenes.

I loved this book! I’m so glad I’m almost caught up! I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A thief. An officer. A guardian.

Three strangers, one shared destiny . . .

When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope. A new life for a wealthy French family and their descendants. But five hundred years later, it’s now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme; where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets; where a rebel group, long thought dead, is resurfacing.

Whispers of revolution have begun—a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes…

Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spy on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet.

Marcellus is an officer—and the son of a renowned traitor. In training to take command of the military, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he’s vowed to serve when his father dies and leaves behind a cryptic message that only one person can read: a girl named Alouette.

Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet. But a shocking murder will bring Alouette to the surface for the first time in twelve years…and plunge Laterre into chaos.

All three have a role to play in a dangerous game of revolution—and together they will shape the future of a planet.

Review:

This new YA series follows the new trend in YA Fantasy books which have French settings. I really like these settings, because most of the cities are lavish and extravagant, but they also have secret societies and criminals.

The story followed three characters: Chatine, Marcellus, and Alouette. They all come from different levels in society, but they become mixed up in each other’s lives. Since there were three different perspectives, the different areas that they come from were explored, giving a complete image of the world they live in.

This story is a retelling of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. I also love adaptations. However, I’ve never read or watched Les Misérables, so this story was very new to me. I read a graphic novel adaptation last year, so I know the general story, but this story is a unique take on the original. I really liked how it was adapted to a futuristic setting on a different planet.

There were lots of twists that kept me guessing throughout the story. The ending was so good. Each character’s story had a bit of a cliffhanger, which made me wonder what was going to happen next. I can’t wait to read the next book when it comes out!

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this electrifying sixty-page companion novella to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, discover the fate of the Omega Point rebels as they go up against The Reestablishment. Set during and soon after the final moments of Unravel Me, Fracture Me is told from Adam’s perspective.

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam’s focus couldn’t be further from the upcoming battle. He’s reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend’s life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James’s safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It’s time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam’s newly discovered half brother, won’t be that easy. The Reestablishment can’t tolerate a rebellion, and they’ll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.

Review:

I’m obsessed with this series! I love that there are novellas to read between novels. They fill in the gaps in time between the novels.

I didn’t realize that this novella was written from Adam’s point of view. I thought they were all from Warner’s perspective, just like the first one. I was so excited that this one was told by Adam, because he wasn’t in the previous book as much. He’s a complicated character, who had to make some tough decisions in this story.

One of my favourite parts of these novellas is that they show parts of the story that couldn’t be shown in the other novels. Since the novels are told from Juliette’s perspective, only her side of the story is told. There are important things going on around her, so it is great to see those events too. This was especially important for this part of the story, because Juliette wasn’t present for a lot of the battle at the end of Unravel Me.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The thrilling second installment in New York Times bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series.

It should have taken Juliette a single touch to kill Warner. But his mysterious immunity to her deadly power has left her shaken, wondering why her ultimate defense mechanism failed against the person she most needs protection from.

She and Adam were able to escape Warner’s clutches and join up with a group of rebels, many of whom have powers of their own. Juliette will finally be able to actively fight against The Reestablishment and try to fix her broken world. And perhaps these new allies can help her shed light on the secret behind Adam’s—and Warner’s—immunity to her killer skin.

Juliette’s world is packed with high-stakes action and tantalizing romance, perfect for fans of the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard and the Darkest Minds trilogy by Alexandra Bracken.

Review:

This book was amazing! I couldn’t have predicted what happened in this second book of the series.

There were so many twists in this story. Just when you think that you can predict what will happen, a huge plot twist happens which makes you rethink everything you know. This was great because I was constantly surprised.

I love the depth of the characters in this series. They all have good qualities as well as flaws. Sometimes I was rooting for them, and sometimes I wasn’t. At times, I cringed at things the main characters did. Juliette did so many things that I didn’t agree with, but the conflicts within her made the story fascinating.

I wish I had read this series before, but I’m glad I’ve started it now! I can’t wait to read the next book!

Goodreads Synopsis:

Oliver Twist gets a fresh take in this reimagining of the Dickensian classic taking the familiar characters and turning them on their heads in a historical thriller packed with weird science, political suspense, and steamy romance, perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper and Marissa Meyer’s Cinder.

From Alisa Kwitney comes a connected novel set in the same alternative Victorian England of Cadaver & Queen. Corpse & Crownfollows the story of Agatha DeLacey, an Ingold nursing student who travels to London and uncovers a devastating secret about the country’s Bio-Mechanicals. Inspired by the classic story of Oliver Twist and complete with a dashing Artful Dodger-inspired male lead, this retelling is a satisfying follow-up to Kwitney’s clever and critically acclaimed young adult debut.

Review:

This is a fun series! It is set in Victorian times, with science fiction themes.

The first book in the story, Cadaver and Queen, is an adaptation of Frankenstein. This story is an adaptation of Oliver Twist. I actually haven’t read either of those books, so I’m not sure how much of the original story is included, though the characters are there.

There are a lot of medical scenes because it is set in a hospital. I’m quite squeamish, but I was able to get through those scenes. There were some blood and surgeries involved. However, these scenes were limited so I was able to enjoy the story.

The biomechanicals in this story are corpses who have been turned into machines by attaching different body parts. An interesting aspect of these creatures is that they can continue to experience the lives and memories of the donor. This was similar to the phantom limb syndrome, which is when a person can still feel their limbs after they have been amputated.

I really enjoyed this book!

What to read next:

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings #1) by Mackenzi Lee